Always Been There
by Lady Remus 1983
Summary: Harry is having problems with his husband, Draco, and he goes to Remus for comfort. Harry’s life gets more complicated. SOME SPOILERS FOR OOTP AND HBP THROUGHOUT THE STORY Pairings: HarryDraco, HarryRemus, RemusSirius, CHAPTER 6 ADDED
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Always Been There

**Author:** Lady Remus

**Pairings:** Harry/Draco, Harry/Remus, Remus/Sirius (implied), Ron/Hermione (not a major factor but the pairing is still there)

**Length: **Unknown as yet (length will be put in once all 6 chapters are up)

**Summary:** Harry is having problems with his husband, Draco, and he goes to Remus for comfort. Harry's life gets more complicated. SOME SPOILERS FOR OOTP AND HBP THROUGHOUT THE STORY (although not many!).

**Rating:** NC-17

**Warnings:** violence, homosexual activity, male pregnancy

**Disclaimer:** The original characters come from the mind of J K Rowling. I don't own them and I'm certainly not making any profit from this.

**Beta: **cherylbites (LJ)

**Notes:** The story originally started with a different scene. However, after planning a second conflict in the story, I needed something bigger than the first conflict to "wake Harry up". I therefore put the original conflict later in the story and I started the story with a different fight.

**Review:** Yes, please.

**Chapter 1**

Harry looked at the clock on the wall the minute he walked into his home. He smiled when he saw that it was seven o' clock. It had been twelve hours since he drank the potion and he had been looking forward to this moment all day. He had barely been able to concentrate on his duties in the Ministry because he was so excited about what would happen tonight. He hoped it would bring him and his husband, Draco, closer.

He walked into the living room and the smile was immediately wiped from his face when he saw Draco sitting in the armchair with one leg slung over the other. The look on Draco's face was all too familiar to Harry: dark, serious and very menacing. Harry tried to conceal his fear, but his stomach suddenly became sore with nerves; he knew it was going to be a bad night, and it had been a waste of time taking the potion. There was going to be no happiness tonight.

Still staring at Harry with his cold gaze, Draco said, "Where the hell have you been?"

Trying to be calm, Harry answered, "I have been to work, Draco. You know I go there, nearly every day."

The coldness remained. "You are late, Harry. In fact, you have been late every day for the past week."

Harry sighed. "And you know why."

"No. I don't."

"You know I've been working on the latest assignment at the Ministry. This assignment is bloody important. If it's successful it'll mean that another group of Dark wizards could be thwarted."

"No. That's only what you've told me. You've been cheating on me, haven't you?"

"What!" Harry was in shock. "No!"

"Who is he, Harry?"

_He's mad, _Harry thought._ He's gone completely mad. _

"I don't know who you're talking about!"

Draco stood up in anger, "WHO IS HE, HARRY?"

"I swear to you, Draco, I am not sleeping with anyone but you."

Draco moved towards Harry in fury and took hold of his husband's wrists. He stared at him and Harry could see the rage in his eyes and smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Don't fucking lie to me, you whore."

And then the first punch came across Harry's face. Draco let go of Harry's wrist and he toppled to the ground. Then all Harry could feel was a series of hard punches and gut-wrenching kicks that seemed to last a lifetime. As Draco punched and kicked, he demand, "Who is he? Who is it that you're fucking?", to which Harry would protest, "No-one, Draco. NO-ONE! I SWEAR!"

But the protests fell on deaf ears. Draco was filled with rage and kept on assaulting his husband.

Eventually, he stopped. Harry did not dare to move and remained curled up on the floor. He heard Draco say "Don't you dare move, slut," and leave the room. He heard his husband walk up the stairs and their bedroom door close.

Harry's brain screamed, _Get up! Get up and get out of here!_

_But where can I go? _

_Who cares! Just get out of here before he hurts you more. Do you really think he's going to stop at that? You know what he's like!_

Shaking from the attack, Harry got up and slowly but bravely moved out of the living room and down the hallway. Automatically picking up his broom from where it was propped against the wall, he opened the door quietly and went out into the rain. As soon as he had shut the front door, he ran off under the darkening sky. With his broom in hand, he sped down the street, not caring that he was splashing through numerous puddles of water.

When he eventually turned at the corner of the street, he squatted and began to cry. He held onto his broom, his precious broom that his godfather, Sirius, had given to him ten years earlier, and cried his heart out. He gazed at the wedding ring wrapped around his finger, its silver metal glinting in the rain and its many diamonds sparkling. He could not believe that the man who had placed this beautiful ring on his finger nearly three years ago was the same man who had just accused him of infidelity and attacked him. He didn't know how long he squatted there lost in self-pity; by the time he rose, his crying and the rain had made his glasses lenses steam up.

_Where can I go?_ Harry thought. _I guess I could go back home to Godric's Hollow, but I don't want to be there on my own. I can't go to Ron and Hermione; they have their own lives to lead. But I need to be with someone... who?_

He started to walk down the street, regardless of the rain, and wondered who could he turn to for comfort. He had no idea how long he walked and he did not care. To the few people on the street, he must have looked like a pathetic sight, but he was indifferent; he just wanted to keep on walking. He bowed his head so he didn't have to see the glances of pity he received at his wet and bruised state.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up at the sound of his name and saw Remus Lupin staring back at him. He waited as Remus walked towards him with concern and rested his hands on the younger man's shoulders.

"Harry, what are you doing out here in this weather? You look like a drowned rat!"

Harry could not find a reply but he could feel his lips quivering and fresh tears filling his eyes. It was then that Remus saw the bruises that were beginning to show on the young man's face.

Remus wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders. "Come on. I'll make you a cup of tea and get you into some dry clothes."

Harry nodded and walked beside Remus.

When they were inside Remus' house, Harry began to shiver in the ice-cold atmosphere. Remus walked into the living room and waved a wand in front of his fireplace. A fire immediately appeared and within a few seconds, the room began to warm up. Remus left the room, leaving Harry still in goosebumps. He looked at the clock on the mantelpiece; it was eight o' clock.

_Have I been in the rain for so long?_ he wondered. _Has it really been an hour since Draco beat the shit out of me? How time flies when you're having fun._

Remus then returned with a pile of his own clothes.

"Here," he said gently. "Take those clothes off and you can borrow these until yours are dry. I'm just going to make us a cup of tea."

Harry nodded and quietly said, "Thank you."

Remus smiled at him and Harry could not help but smile back. He always liked it when Remus smiled; it made his otherwise worn and tired-looking face light up. He found it to be heart-warming and very infectious. Harry was still smiling as Remus left the room.

As Remus went into the kitchen, he wondered what had caused Harry to be out in this weather. He had a feeling that it was because of Draco Malfoy but he didn't want to jump to conclusions.

_Something very serious has happened, _he thought. _The bruises tell all. Draco, you bastard! I hope this isn't your doing..._

Gripping two cups, he walked carefully back into the living room, trying not to spill any of the tea on the carpet. He gazed at Harry, who was sitting on the white rug by the fire with his knees pulled up to his chest, and almost cried when he saw that Harry was again in tears as he gazed at his wedding ring.

Remus walked quietly up to Harry and sat down beside him. He handed a cup to Harry, who took it without looking at Remus; he gulped down the tea while trying not to cry. There was a silence as Remus watched Harry, not knowing what he could do to ease his pain. He secretly smiled as he saw Harry clad in his worn and tattered clothes. Seeing that Harry was barefoot, he decided to remove his own socks, which were wet from the rain that had seeped into his shoes.

Eventually, Harry placed his cup of tea gently by the fireplace and simply stared into the fire. Remus reached out a hand and tenderly touched Harry's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked.

Harry looked at him and shook his head.

Remus sighed, "What happened, Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes for a moment and said bitterly, "What do you think?"

"I can see what happened. I mean, _how_ did it happen?"

"I came home late from work, you know, because of this important Auror assignment, and he made allegations that I was cheating on him and then when I told him the truth, said I hadn't, he started to beat me."

He began to cry again and Remus immediately wrapped himself around Harry in a hug. He stroked Harry's hair and gently rocked him as if he were a child. He felt Harry's arms hold him tightly and urgently.

He whispered, "Poor Harry. I think we're going to need something stronger than tea."

Remus stood up and went over to his drinks cabinet to take out a bottle of gin and two glasses; sitting down beside Harry again, he placed himself closer to the young man than before. He poured half a measure of gin into each glass, then handed one to Harry. As Remus sipped his own drink, he watched Harry drink his in one gulp. Harry reached for the bottle and began to pour some more gin into his glass.

Remus took the bottle from him. "No. Harry. It's meant to calm you down, that's all."

Harry insisted, "But I _need_ it. I want to forget the pain. You know, Remus, Draco and I have had our fair share of arguments recently but I thought we were past that. Hell, I can stand the arguments but not this. He's never hit me before or accused me of cheating on him. Why now? WHY NOW! How can he possibly love me and yet hit me?" He dropped his empty glass to the floor and sobbed uncontrollably into his hands.

Remus wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulders, restraining the tears that were threatening to fill his eyes. He could feel a moist patch growing on his shoulder, but that hardly mattered. He just wished he could make everything better for Harry.

Harry shook his head, the soft fabric of Remus' jumper rubbing against his soft cheek. "I must be an awful husband."

"Oh, Harry, don't say that."

Harry persevered: "I must be! Why else would he do this to me?"

Remus stroked Harry's hair and gently took the young man's chin in his hand so that he could look into Harry's eyes. He took hold of Harry's face with both hands and stared at him.

He whispered, "There is nothing wrong with you. It's him. He doesn't deserve you."

Harry simply stared at him, tears falling down his face. As he gazed into Remus' soulful eyes, he was suddenly nervous. He had no idea why but it felt nice to be so close to Remus. In all the time that they had known each other, Harry knew that there had never been a moment like this before. This was the first time that he had felt nervous in the presence of the werewolf, and yet it also felt nice to have his face gently cupped in Remus' hands. In fact, in that moment, it felt more than nice: it felt _right_.

Harry asked softly, "Can I stay here? I don't want to go back to him tonight."

Remus smiled. "Of course you can. You're always welcome here. I'll look after you."

Harry beamed at him lovingly and Remus' heart instantly melted at the sight. He stroked Harry's cheek and the young man closed his eyes as he sighed with delight at the touch. It had been a long time since he had been touched so tenderly by anyone, let alone by Draco.

"That's better," Remus whispered.

With his eyes still closed, Harry felt his spectacles being removed from his face; Remus' lips brushed against his cheeks, kissing the damp trail that his tears had left behind. When Remus' lips landed on his own, the young man opened his eyes in shock. However, it passed quickly, and Harry became lost in the moment. He caressed Remus' cheek with his thumb, enjoying the warmth that was building up inside him; he moaned with pleasure when Remus inserted his tongue into his mouth. He let Remus take control of him and when Remus pulled the young man towards him, Harry felt delight as the bulge in Remus' trousers pressed against his own hard cock.

Suddenly, Remus broke the kiss and pulled away. Although Harry's eyesight was blurry, he could see that Remus was embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Harry. That shouldn't have happened."

Remus began to stand up but, on impulse, Harry took hold of his hand. The werewolf looked at Harry's hand – the one that bore his wedding ring – and then he looked at Harry.

Harry cleared his throat and said boldly, "I'm not sorry."

He moved towards Remus and began to unzip the werewolf's trousers.

Remus said nervously, "Harry…"

Harry looked at the older man and smiled when he saw the confused expression on Remus' face. He took hold of the bottom of Remus' jumper and began to pull it up his chest.

"No," Remus said, "I'll do it."

Harry released his hold and waited as Remus removed his own sweater, then reached out for Harry's. Harry obediently lifted his arms and Remus pulled the jumper over the young man's head before throwing it to the floor. Harry smiled and lay back slowly onto the rug. Remus followed him, and within a few seconds he was on top of the younger man and they were kissing again, more urgently than before.

Remus parted the kiss and began to move his lips down Harry's neck. When he heard the younger man moan, he stopped and realised what he was doing.

_Stop it now, Remus,_ his brain cried out _He's a married man._

"Remus?" Harry gasped, dragging the werewolf away from his thoughts. "Why have you stopped?"

Remus did not reply. He glided his skin over the hot soft skin of the young man below him. The aroma surrounding Harry was becoming stronger; the smell of an arousal that only heightened Remus' own. But there was another smell, stranger than the other: an aroma that he had not smelt since Sirius had been alive; the smell of compatibility, the smell of his mate. As the werewolf took control of the young man's mouth again, Remus melted and the voice of reason was gone for the evening.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When Harry woke up the next morning, he felt himself wrapped in strong, gentle arms. He smiled in relief, thinking that it was Draco. When he turned around, his face fell as he saw Remus asleep beside him.

_Oh shit! What have I done?_

_What does it look like? You came over here for comfort and instead, you spread your legs for Remus and you two fucked behind your husband's back. Draco was right. You are a whore! And you took the potion, remember? You idiot!_

Harry leapt out of the bed and sneaked out of the room; moving down the stairs as quickly as he could, he headed for the living room. The floor was cluttered with Remus' clothes and the ones that Harry had borrowed from him. Images flew into Harry's mind: Remus and Harry kissing…Remus licking Harry's cock; Harry spreading his legs as Remus took him in one full thrust…Remus taking control of Harry whilst pleasuring him at the same time…the two climaxing at the same time…being led up to the bedroom and then…

"Harry?"

Remus' voice shook him from his thoughts. Harry turned and saw the werewolf, wearing only sleeping shorts, walking towards him.

"Remus…" Harry started to speak but then he felt a lump in his throat. After coughing, he continued, "I've got to go."

The werewolf held his gaze. "Why?"

Harry turned away from the werewolf and moved towards the pile of clothes. He had picked up his underwear, and was starting to put it on, when he felt a hand on his shoulder and Remus whispered, "I asked why?"

Harry became frozen. "You know why. We did something wrong."

"There was nothing wrong with what we did last night."

Harry turned to face Remus. "It _was_ wrong." He held up his hand and his wedding ring glinted. "I'm married."

Remus took his hand. "And as I said last night, Draco doesn't deserve you!"

"He's my husband though. When I married him, I vowed to always be faithful and…"

"Did you also vow to be miserable? To be unappreciated? To feel unloved and unwanted? To be beaten up?"

"That only happened once."

The werewolf placed his other hand on the young man's faintly bruised cheek. "And that is how it all starts, Harry."

Harry almost shouted, "And what do you know about it?"

Remus felt a hard pain in his heart as memories began to flow through his mind. Sirius in his drunken state…Remus trying to calm him down…Sirius punching him in the face…Sirius beating him to a bloody pulp…Sirius apologising and begging for forgiveness…

_Oh, Harry. You don't know the half of it, do you?_

"I know more than you think. I know how this all starts. You'll go home and Draco will plead for your forgiveness and promise you the world and more. And then, one day when you think everything is all right, he will hurt you again and the whole cycle will start again. And one day, he will do something really bad and…"

Harry had tears in his eyes. "He wouldn't!"

Remus grabbed Harry's shoulders. "He will! Whether it's beating you so much that you can hardly walk, or whether he hurts you emotionally, it will happen again. Once the punch comes, it starts the cycle of violence."

_Just like with you, Sirius. Despite how much I loved you, it never stopped you. _

Remus said softly, "You don't have to go back to him."

Harry said coldly, "But I want to. I want to go home and see my husband before I damage my marriage any more than I already have. Please get me my clothes."

"But Harry…"

Harry repeated, "Please get me my clothes."

Remus sighed and walked out of the room in silence. Harry pulled on his underpants and then his socks. Remus came back with Harry's clothes in his hands.

"Here." His tone was apathetic.

Harry took the clothes from him and dressed quickly, in silence. When he was fully dressed he made to leave, but before he left the room he turned towards Remus, who was now sitting on the settee and looking at the empty fireplace.

"Remus," Harry said quietly, "You have been a good friend to me, but after what happened last night, I don't think I should come around here again."

The werewolf shrugged his shoulders without looking at Harry. "If you like."

Harry walked down the hallway, picking up his broom. He went out of the house and as soon as the front door had closed, Remus got up and walked over to the fireplace. On the top of the mantel were several framed photographs. He picked up the only one that had a silver frame. The picture depicted a young Remus and Sirius. He remembered the moment that the picture was taken.

_The wedding party of James Potter and Lily Evans. The two had left the party in secret. Remus was leaning against the rough bark of a tree and Sirius was resting his head between Remus' hands. The animagus was cheekily grinning and was leaning towards the werewolf for a kiss when a flash of light disturbed the moment. The two young men turned their heads and saw James with a camera in his hand and a satisfied smile on his face. _

He fingered the smooth glass of the picture and watched as a tear landed over Sirius' face. He whispered, "I just hope Harry is right. I really do."

It was just as Remus had predicted. When Harry arrived home he found Draco in the living room, sitting in the same armchair; but this time, he was almost in tears. Gazing at his husband, Harry sat down on the settee on the other side of the room.

Draco cried, "Where have you been? I've been waiting up all night."

Harry said coolly, "Well, after you beat me up, I ran out because I was terrified of you. While I was walking around in the rain, I bumped into Remus. He took me to his house. He made me a cup of tea and then he showed me to his spare room because I wanted to be alone. And then I slept. That's it."

_Oh, that was quick. The art of the perfect cheat. _

"I was worried about you, Harry."

"Worried that I had left you? Well, considering what you did last night, I wouldn't need a reason to leave you."

"I'm sorry, babes."

"Are you?"

"Of course."

"Of what? The punching or the accusations?"

"Well, you _were_ two hours late."

Harry stood up. "Draco, I'm a fucking Auror. I told you when I first got this job that sometimes I would be home late, especially when a big assignment comes up. I can't just give up on some important work because I've got an insecure and paranoid husband."

"I don't know what to say," Draco said, standing up and walking towards his husband, "except that I am really, really sorry." He was now on his knees and holding on to Harry's hands gently. "I know we're going to have our arguments but I promise you that I will never hit you again."

All of a sudden, Harry remembered what Remus has said: _You'll go home and Draco will plead for your forgiveness and promise you the world and more. And then, one day when you think everything is all right, he will hurt you again and the whole cycle will start again_. And yet, he looked into Draco's grey eyes and saw nothing but sorrow and regret. His heart melted at the sight.

"Okay, Draco. Okay. I forgive you, but please, there can be no more fists and no more kicks."

"I promise I will never hurt you again."

Harry smiled. "Then stand up and give me a hug."

Draco grinned back at him and stood up. He wrapped his arms around Harry and the two lovers were encased in each other's embrace. They kissed each other rapidly and with passion. Clothes flew off and scattered onto the floor. Draco and Harry fell back onto the settee and within a few moments, Harry could see Draco's lubricated cock entering him. They both writhed and moaned until they both came simultaneously and in that moment, Harry had never felt more complete.

The next month was blissful for Harry. There was not even a cross word between them. Due to the assignment, Harry was spending longer hours in the office, but if there was any bitterness about it then Draco was biting his tongue. Sometimes Harry was so tired he would go straight to bed as soon as he arrived home, but still there was peace between the two lovers. When the assignment was over, life returned to normal in their house, and at first their relationship returned to the way it had been when they were first dating. They were openly affectionate to each other and they made love as much as possible. There was even talk of starting a family.

However, after only a few weeks, the happiness declined as quickly as it had started. Although there were no arguments and no violence, Harry noticed that his husband was becoming as cold and distant as before. Although they made love, it seemed to mean nothing to Draco. He would dominate his lover and treat the experience as if it was a chore.

It was during this time that Harry began to think about Remus. He had not spoken to the werewolf ever since their last night together and he was grateful that they worked in different sections of the Ministry. Harry was spending more and more time in his office doing tedious paperwork, and it was at those times that he would think of the werewolf. Although he was too proud to admit it, he missed Remus badly.

When Draco became dominant and uncaring in the bedroom, Harry would think about his one night with the werewolf and remember how wanted and warm he had felt. He desperately wanted to feel that way with Draco, but his wish was not granted.

One day, about six weeks after Harry and Draco had kissed and made up, Harry was alone in his office looking at a pregnancy test. He was grateful that there was no one else around, for he did not like the idea of spending three minutes alone in a toilet cubicle waiting for the second spot to appear on the test.

_What are you taking this test for? You know it's going to be negative. It has to be._

And yet, he was unsure. After all, he had taken the potion and within the thirty-six hour period, he had had sex several times with both Remus and Draco. It was possible… and he had been experiencing the symptoms of early pregnancy.

Aw, come on. So you have been sick for the last few days. That could mean anything…nerves, bad food, an illness. It doesn't necessarily mean pregnancy. 

_But I have to be sure; otherwise, I will never feel at ease._

Harry watched the test, and his jaw dropped as he saw the second red spot appear. He shook his head in disbelief.

"No. It can't be. I can't be pregnant."

_Harry, the results are staring at you. You ARE pregnant and you don't know who the father is! _

Harry felt miserable for the rest of the day. He knew that there was no way out of this. He knew he should be happy because, for the past year, he had secretly wanted a child but it worried him that he had no idea who the father was. Deep down he knew that he could not abort the child, but he also knew that if the father was Remus, then Draco would probably know straight away when the baby was born, and then... well, Harry shuddered at what could happen.

He was still miserable when he got home from work, and when he walked through the front door, the bad feeling became worse as he saw two suitcases in the hallway. Concerned, he walked into the living room and saw Draco on the sofa with a totally unknown young man. Harry was unnerved to see that they were sitting much too close together for his liking and were also holding hands.

Harry asked, "What's going on, Draco?"

Draco smirked, "I thought a smart guy like you would be able to figure it out, but I guess you need it explained to you. I don't love you anymore, Harry. I have found someone who satisfies me more than you've ever done."

Harry did not know what surprised him more: the fact that Draco had deceived him or the discovery that he had had a feeling that this would happen sooner or later.

Trying not to stutter, Harry asked, "How long?"

"Six months."

Draco's response shot through Harry's heart and he felt a large lump in his throat. "And so you've packed your bags? You're leaving me?"

"Packed MY bags?" Draco laughed cruelly. He stood up and walked towards Harry. "Oh, my dear, naïve, stupid husband. They're not my bags – they're YOURS!"

Harry stepped forward. "My bags! But I live here!"

Draco shook his head. "Not anymore."

"But this is OUR house!"

Draco held up his hand. "Correction. If you care to read the deeds, you will find that I have sole ownership of this house and therefore, it is MY house, NOT yours! It belongs to me!" Draco grabbed Harry's hand. "And so does this." He pulled Harry's wedding ring of his finger and tossed it onto the fire.

Harry cried, "Draco, what the fuck…"

Draco pulled off his wedding ring, which was identical to Harry's, and threw that on the fire as well. "Maybe that will make you see on how much our marriage means to me. Now, get out!"

Harry stood in complete shock, trying not to let the tears fall. "Draco, you can't!"

Draco grabbed hold of Harry's arm and forced him down the hallway and out of the front door. Harry tripped over his own foot and fell down the steps. He looked up and saw Draco throwing Harry's suitcases and broomstick onto the front garden before slamming the door behind him, leaving Harry out in the cold.

For a few minutes, he lay on the cold stony path, partly in sadness but most in deep shock. Eventually, he got up and picked up his broom and suitcases. He walked groggily away from the house and down the street. The sky was overcast and Harry wished there would be rain soon so it could cover his falling tears.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Remus sometimes wondered why he had decided to work for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures department. He was in charge of the werewolf department, and his work involved organising the registration of all werewolves, capturing those who were dangerous, and providing support for those who were in need and wanted to prove themselves worthy to the community. Some days the department could be very hectic; on others, it could become dull and he had nothing to do. There was nothing much going on that day so he left his cubicle at mid-morning and had an early lunch. He liked to go early because he could avoid bumping into Harry. He had not heard from Harry for six weeks and was becoming worried, but he respected the young man's wishes and had kept his distance.

He went into the canteen and saw several workers from Harry's department, but no Harry. He went to buy some food and tried to find a place to sit. Surprisingly, he was called over by Harry's co-workers. In politeness, he accepted the invitation and sat at their table.

He had barely sat down when one of the workers said, "Hi. Remus. You know Harry Potter, don't you?"

Remus smiled. "I think everyone knows Harry Potter."

"No, I mean on a more personal level."

_I used to._ "Yes, he's a friend. Why?"

Another worker spoke. "Well, we just want to know if he's all right."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's just that he's not been to work for three days…and, well, we think there's something wrong with him."

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, for one thing, we've been hearing rumours that Draco has left Harry for someone else."

Remus was shocked. "What?"

The first worker spoke. "Aye, it's true. I saw Draco with another guy the other day. They were all lovey-dovey with each other; the only thing they weren't doing was having sex in public."

The second worker continued, "Also, we found a positive pregnancy test in Harry's bin and it seems coincidental that all this has happened and Harry doesn't show up for work. He doesn't usually take time off and we wanted to know if he was okay."

Remus said honestly, "I'm sorry, I can't help you. He's probably ill or something."

_Oh, come on, Remus. You know that's not the case. Take the time off work and go and see him. _

_No! He told me to stay away and so that's what I'm doing._

After finishing his lunch, he made his way to the department and saw that, as before, his desk was empty.

_Look! You'll be doing nothing for the whole afternoon. You know that. Just take the rest of the day off and find out how he is. _

"Remus?"

Hearing his name brought him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see Hermione Granger in front of him, looking deeply worried.

Remus smiled. "Oh, hello, Hermione. What's the Junior Assistant to the Minister doing on this level? Another inspection?"

Hermione said, "I'm glad you're here. I need to talk to you. It's about Harry."

Remus smile vanished. "Why, what's wrong?"

"You mean, you don't know?"

"All I know is that he's not been to work for a few days…"

Hermione nodded her head, "I know. He's at our house. He's been there for the last three days."

Remus blinked in shock. "Any idea why?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know. He just turned up one night and said he needed somewhere to stay. Ron and I showed him the spare room and I don't think he's been out of there since. The only sounds we hear are crying. I was just hoping that you would know something I don't."

Remus shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Ah! So you do know something!"

"Answer my question, Hermione. Please."

She sighed. "I couldn't tell you anything because Harry made us swear not to. When we suggested it to him, he was hysterical. But with these rumours going around about Draco cheating on him and the rumour that Harry is pregnant, I didn't know who else to turn to."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Go round to our house and try to talk to him."

"Look, Hermione…"

She got on her knees. "He needs help, Remus. He won't talk to me or Ron, and I don't know anyone who knows him like you do. Please try."

Seeing the desperation on her face, he sighed. "All right. I'll go to your place now."

Hermione smiled. "Thanks, Remus. I really appreciate this." She stood up and handed him the house keys. "Here are the keys. He's probably still in the spare room. That's the door with the big scratch mark on it." She giggled when Remus raised an eyebrow. "Don't ask, Remus. Just don't. All I can say is good luck."

Remus smiled. "I feel I am going to need it."

The two parted company and Remus made his way to Hermione and Ron's house. Twenty minutes later, he was outside the front door.

He knocked on the door and called out, "Harry! I know you're in there, Harry. Listen, mate. I'm worried. Are you all right?"

After he had knocked several times, he put his hand in his pocket and felt the bunch of keys that Hermione had given to him. He lifted his hand and stared at the glint of metal in his palm.

_He told me to leave him alone. What if he won't talk?_

_Come, on Remus! He needs you. You said you would always be there for him. Be here for him now!_

Feeling a spurt of courage, he unlocked the front door and went inside. He walked into the house and searched for Harry. When he did not find him in the kitchen or living room, he walked upstairs and saw Crookshanks sprawled on the banister. He instantly knew which room was the spare room for there were several deep scratches on the door.

He turned back to the cat and whispered, "Was this your doing?"

All that Remus received as a response was a glare from the aging cat. Remus smiled weakly and turned back to the scratched door. When he opened the door, he saw Harry curled up on the bed, his face towards the window. Remus shut the door quietly and sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the curled-up form beside him.

After a few moments, Remus whispered, "Harry?"

Harry curled up tighter and mumbled, "Come to gloat, have you?"

Remus shook his head. "No, I've come to see how you are."

"I'm feeling great."

Remus taunted sarcastically, "Yeah, and you look great. I mean, you've not been out of this room for three days, Hermione and Ron are worried about you and I'm told that you've been crying on and off. Well, if that's great, then I must be feeling on top of the world."

"Oh shut up, Remus!"

"Not until you tell me what's going on! Have you had another row with Draco or something?"

"If you must know, he threw me out."

Remus put his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Why?"

Harry was now shaking. "He found someone else. I came home one night, and he told me he'd found someone else, and he ripped off my wedding ring and threw into the fire. And then he threw me out. Satisfied, are you?" He was now crying uncontrollably.

"Oh, Harry!" Remus lay behind the young man and wrapped his arm around him, and Harry did not resist the gesture but in fact turned round, curled up to the werewolf and cried his heart out. Remus tenderly held him. "Shhhh, it's okay."

Through loud tears, Harry sobbed, "You know, Remus, I thought I could have withstood anything from him: his possessiveness, the way he's cold and distant with me…hell, I could even take more of his punches and kicks because I thought that deep down, I was the one for him and he loved me. But then I found he's not only cheated on me, but it's been going on for six months." He looked up at Remus through wet eyes, "SIX MONTHS!" The sobs became louder and more uncontrollable.

Remus whispered, "You should have come to me, Harry."

"I couldn't. I mean, after what I said to you the last time we met…"

"It doesn't matter now..."

"It does. You see, I found out something else that day when Draco threw me out and I was too ashamed to come to you."

"Tell me, Harry."

The young man said boldly, "I'm pregnant."

Remus held Harry tighter and closed his eyes so that the young man could not see how angry he was. _Draco, you fucking bastard!_ he thought furiously. _How could you, throwing out your husband and your own baby? _

He stroked Harry's hair softly. "What are you going to do about the baby? Are you going to keep it?"

"What do you think I should do?"

Remus opened his eyes and looked down at Harry. "Well, it's not up to me, is it? It's not my child."

Harry shook his head. "That may not be true."

Remus' mouth fell open. "What?"

Harry released himself from Remus's grip and sat up with his back to the werewolf. "There's something I have to tell you. That night I came to see you, I had taken a potion that makes men fertile for thirty-six hours. Of course, you have to take it twelve hours before you want to conceive so that it can work its way round the body. I had taken it with the intention of getting pregnant by Draco that night." He looked down at his hands. "Of course, it never happened that way, did it? When I got home the next morning, I did make up with Draco…in more ways that one.

"I'm really sorry, Remus. I hope you don't think I entrapped you or anything. I never came over with the intention of having sex with you, I swear. It's just…you were being so good to me and so kind and before I knew what was going on, I knew that I needed your comfort that night and I wanted _you_."

Remus stared at Harry's back, almost numb with the shock. Harry was pregnant and the child could very well be _his_! He had no idea how he should feel over this.

_Stop thinking about yourself, Remus. This isn't about you. It's about Harry. He needs you now more than ever. _

Remus sat up and caressed Harry's hair again. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have known better, I'm supposed to be the responsible adult here."

Harry stared at Remus. "So you didn't want me that night?"

"Harry, if I hadn't wanted you, I would not have gone to bed with you. I don't regret what happened that night."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

Remus shrugged his shoulders, "To be honest, I don't know. I mean, I've only just found out. What do you want to do, Harry?"

"I don't know either."

"I don't know the right answer to this, Harry. I could give you a million lectures on what to do but in the end, it's you carrying the child, and deep down it's only you who knows what to do. And whatever you decide, I will support you all the way, I promise. And if you ever want to move out of here, well, I've got a spare bedroom. Okay?"

Harry nodded and smiled genuinely. It was probably the first time he had smiled since Draco had thrown him out. He felt safe with Remus and he was relieved that he was still able to talk to the werewolf despite what happened.

That night, Harry was sitting on the edge of his bed. Remus had left the house after Hermione and Ron returned from work, but the werewolf's presence was still imprinted on Harry's mind. They had not said much for most of the afternoon and when Ron and Hermione had returned home, they found Harry and Remus still in the spare room. All Harry remembered was feeling tired again before falling asleep on Remus's chest. Before Remus left, Harry was able to promise him that he would not wallow in self-pity in the spare room and that once the weekend was over, he would be back to work. He also promised that he would think about coming to Remus if he ever needed anything, even a place to live.

He was looking at himself in the mirror whilst caressing his bare belly. He still found it hard to believe that there was a life growing inside him. He replayed the werewolf's words in his head over and over again.

_Whatever you decide, I will support you all the way… Whatever you decide, I will support you all the way… _

_But can I really give up this baby? I mean, I did want a child. That's why I took the potion. _

_A child with your husband, not as the result of an one night stand!_

_It's still my baby! It doesn't matter if Remus or Draco is the father, the child is still mine!_

He lay down on his bed and pulled the covers over himself, and in next to no time he fell asleep. For the first time in three days, he was able to sleep peacefully.

The next day, Remus was making his morning cup of tea when he heard a knock on the door. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Harry on his doorstep with a suitcase on either side of him.

Harry simply said, "I need you."

That was all that Remus needed to hear. He stood aside and Harry entered. As soon as the front door closed the young man threw his arms around Remus, and the werewolf could only smile and hug him back.

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

The bit about the chocolate cake is based on fact. My mum told me that when she was pregnant with me (and my older brother and sister), her biggest craving was chocolate cake and no matter what time of day it was, if she got the craving for chocolate cake, she would make one from scratch and not even wait until it had cooled down before eating it. This fact tickled me and as, for the first draft, I had put in chocolate as Harry's craving, I thought I'd make it a wee bit more interesting.

**Chapter 4**

One night, Remus was lying in bed trying not to listen to Harry's muffled crying. He touched the wall that separated their rooms, trying to resist the temptation to go to the young man and cuddle him. It had been over two months since Harry had turned up on Remus' doorstep and although he had kept quiet about his feelings for Harry, he was happy that the young man was living with him. However, it broke his heart to watch Harry go through this trying emotional period.

The baby itself was not the problem. Harry made regular trips to St Mungo's Hospital; because male pregnancies were rare and differed medically from female pregnancies, Harry needed specialist treatment that could only be provided by the Healers at St Mungo's. Each trip to the hospital was a success and the pregnancy itself was going smoothly.

Harry's rocky patches came more from the hormonal mood swings he was receiving from his pregnancy, as well as the ongoing trauma from Draco's betrayal. As promised, he had returned to work; despite the occasional glare, raised eyebrow or comment from a colleague, he delved into his work, and in time, the glares stopped.

Some days Harry was able to get through the day normally, and occasionally he laughed and smiled. On these days, Remus saw that despite all the effects of his final battle with Voldemort, Harry had still retained some of his child-like persona. When Harry was in a good mood, Remus would encourage this behaviour and this, in turn, made the two men even more child-like.

_One incident stuck out in Remus' mind. One afternoon Harry had had another one of his cravings. During his pregnancy, he had developed a craving for chocolate. Even Remus had never eaten so much chocolate in such a short period of time. While Remus had a cup of tea in the kitchen, he watched as Harry got out some equipment and ingredients and began to make his all-time biggest craving: chocolate cake. Harry would make an entire chocolate cake and then eat it all by himself. He would not let Remus help him make it; he became possessive over chocolate cake. Many times, he wouldn't even wait until the cake had cooled down before beginning to eat it._

_As Remus was sipping his cup of tea, he suddenly felt something cold land on his cheek. He put his finger on the wet patch and realised it was chocolate. He looked at Harry, who was now gazing at the werewolf whilst trying hard not to giggle. With a smirk on his face, Remus walked up to the mixing bowl. He put a handful of the cake mixture in his hand and gently slapped it on Harry's cheek._

_And that was how the play fight started. Chocolate mixture flew everywhere, splattering the walls and the kitchen furniture. Soon there was no mixture left in the bowl and all Remus and Harry could do was laugh. Although the kitchen was messy, it was nowhere near as messy as the two men. _

_As Harry laughed, he said "I don't think I want the cake now."_

_Although it was not funny, this comment made Remus guffaw even more and the two had to hold onto each other to stop themselves falling on the floor… _

However, not many days had moments as fun or happy as the chocolate cake incident. Many days were very dark and sad for Harry. He would either spend all his spare time in his room, or sit in one of Remus's chairs all night staring into space and rubbing his bare wedding finger. Remus would try to make Harry smile or make him forget about his sadness, but eventually the werewolf realised that no amount of coaxing would make him feel better, so he left the young man alone when he was not in a good mood. Remus hoped one day that Harry would be able to confide in him more when he was feeling this way, but he did not push the subject because he felt it would make the situation worse.

On this particular night, the sobbing eventually subsided; but the silence only worried Remus more. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep but he could only think of Harry lying miserably in the next room. His eyes slowly became heavy and he was succumbing to sleep when he heard a gentle knock on the door.

He mumbled, "Come in."

The door opened Harry walked shyly into the room. Remus sat up in bed. "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry said quietly, "I don't want to be on my own tonight."

"Then you don't have to be." Remus smiled and beckoned to Harry, "Come here."

The young man timidly moved over to Remus and slipped under the covers. He wrapped himself around the werewolf and the two cuddled. In the dark, Remus reached under the covers and touched Harry's growing belly, and Harry placed his hand over the werewolf's. In that moment, Remus was feeling something he had not felt in a long time; not since Sirius was alive, anyway. He secretly smiled at the thought of the young man resting in his arms and finally beginning to open up to him. Unbeknown to the werewolf, Harry was secretly smiling too, for he had never felt so safe or content in his life.

Harry awoke up with a start. He wriggled a little and then he stopped dead: he could not feel Remus holding him. He turned around and saw that the other side of the bed was bare.

_Where the bloody hell has he got to? It's not a full moon and we were definitely in bed together before I fell asleep. _

He knew he should not be worried about the situation, but he was. Over the past few months, Harry had come to Remus's bed at night and the werewolf always welcomed him. Even when the moon was full, Harry would still sleep in Remus's bed and the wolf would curl up beside him. They only held each other, but to Harry, whenever he was in Remus's arms, in his bed, it felt right; just as right as it had felt on that night eight months earlier. Several times he had wanted to kiss him and be intimate with him again, but every time he felt the urge he found he could not bring himself to do it.

_Harry, you know Remus is only being this nice to you because of the possibility that the baby could be his. He doesn't want to get that intimate with you again. _

Still, ever since that first night when Harry had come to Remus's bed, his dark and sad moods had been slowly disappearing. Before, Harry would have had a rare day when he felt normal or happy; now it was the sad days that were rare. He had not wallowed in self-pity or gone off into his own sad daydream world for at least a month.

He groggily walked out of the room and down the stairs, making his way to the living room. It was there that he saw Remus sitting by the fireplace. Harry noticed that the werewolf was crying whilst looking at a silver-framed picture and yet he did not move from his spot. Eventually, Remus wiped his eyes with his hand, stood up and put the photo in its place amongst the other pictures. He turned, and that was when he saw Harry.

"Oh, I didn't see you there. Why are you up so late?"

_Because I miss cuddling you in bed. Because I miss your warm, welcoming arms. Because you make me feel good. I've not felt this good since Draco and I were first married. _

"I was going to ask you the same question."

Remus replied, "I just couldn't sleep, that's all."

"Neither could I." Harry felt a kick in the belly. "And I guess the baby can't sleep either." He moved towards the werewolf and sat down on the couch. He unbuttoned the top of his baggy pyjamas and pulled down his bottoms over his bulging belly: "Do you want to feel it kicking?"

Remus sat down, smiled and placed his hand on Harry's belly. He massaged the skin gently with his palm until he felt a sharp kick to his hand. He giggled softly and held his palm to his Harry's belly, waiting for a second kick. It came and Remus smiled wider.

Harry said, "I've not seen you smile like that in a long time."

Still massaging Harry's belly, Remus said, "Well, I guess it's just hit me that there's an actual life in here."

Harry laughed. "Well, I didn't get this big just through eating all that chocolate."

"Still got all the cravings then?"

"Yeah, and I blame you!" Harry teased, "This kid is going to be a chocoholic, just like you!"

Remus laughed back, "I think we can definitely say that the child is mine!" He stopped laughing when he realised what he had just said. He removed his hand and slid backwards. "I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have said that."

Harry placed his hand where Remus's hand had been a moment before. "It's all right, mate. I know you didn't mean any harm by it."

"How are you coping, anyway?"

"I'm doing fine. I don't think I could have managed this far if it wasn't for you. I know that when it first started and I moved in with Ron and Hermione, they said they would be there for me, but they're married. They've got their own lives to lead. I'm just glad you were here as well."

Remus became shy. "Thank you. Do you still think about…him?"

"Sometimes, but I don't miss him. If he came here right now and begged me to take him back, I wouldn't. I even saw him in the street the other day. He never saw me but I saw him all right. I've seen him a few times, just walking past him, you know, and the other day was the first time I saw him and felt nothing. Before, I had the urge to burst into tears, but this time I felt nothing for him."

"Well, I wish I could say the same for him."

Harry's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know Vincent Clearwater who works in the sports section of the Ministry?" Harry nodded. "Well, earlier on today I went for an early lunch, as you know, and I overheard Vincent talking on the other table. He mentioned that he was in the pub with Draco the other night. And Draco was apparently drunk out of his mind and, well, he was spluttering that his lover had left him and that he was pining for you."

Harry shrugged. "I don't care. I don't want him back. Even if I still felt something for him, I wouldn't have been able to trust him again. I mean, what hurts…what _really_ hurts is that he accused me of cheating on him and all the while he had been cheating on me for several months." Harry's eyes filled with tears. "I mean how could he possibly do that to me, beat me, accuse me of being a cheat and then go off to his own lover? Also, how could he do all that and still love me? You was right, Remus, you know, on that day. You said he was going to hurt me again. I just didn't realise it would hurt so much." He sobbed into his hands.

Remus felt his heart break at the sight of his beloved in tears. He moved over to Harry again and held Harry's head in his hands.

As he cradled the young man, Remus whispered, "Oh baby, don't." _Please don't sink back into that dark sad place again. _"I'm sorry for what I said that night. I guess I just didn't want to see you go back and end up being miserable."

"But you wereright. He _did_ hurt me!"

"Let's just say I know how it feels."

Harry looked up and asked, "What do you mean?"

Remus did not answer or even look at Harry. He did not even know that he was still cradling him in his arms.

He looked up and saw Sirius holding him like a child. Sirius caressed the werewolf's cheek, which showed a recently bruised patch, and Remus winced as Sirius gently touched the sore spot. Remus could see tears falling down the animagus's face and he could smell the aroma of alcohol on Sirius's breath as he begged for Remus's forgiveness, then added all the empty promises that he would stop drinking. 

"Remus?"

At the sound of his name, the werewolf suddenly found himself in his living room. He looked down and saw Harry looking at him with wet green eyes and a concerned face. Remus smiled as he gazed into Harry's heart-warming green eyes.

"I was also right on something else," Remus whispered.

"What's that?"

Remus stroked Harry's messy black hair. "That he doesn't deserve you."

_Don't, Remus! We've been here before, remember? And look what happened. Just don't make the same mistake again; he's fragile enough as he is. Don't fuck his brain up any more. _

However, before the werewolf could move away, he felt Harry take hold of his face and pull him in for a kiss. It was unexpected, but not unwanted. After the initial shock, Remus took the young man's kiss willingly and pulled Harry as close as possible. It was as soft and as gentle as their first kiss all those months ago and the werewolf found himself melting against the young man, wanting more…

Suddenly, Harry pulled away from Remus and placed both hands on his belly. "Baby's kicking again." He chuckled nervously. "And I've got another craving again."

Trying to cover his guilt, Remus smiled and said, "Want to make another chocolate cake?"

Harry licked his lips at the thought. "Sounds lovely. Fancy helping me to make some? I might share a bit."

"Okay," Remus replied, "but don't you dare start throwing it at me again."

As Harry chuckled at the memory, Remus stood up and held out his hand to the gravid Harry. As the two made their way to the kitchen, Harry was grateful that he was in front; he wondered what the werewolf would think he could see the small and secret smile imprinted on Harry's face.

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

The story has had many changes but I can honestly say one thing has always stayed the same: from the beginning, I knew that the baby would be a boy and that his name would be Ben Connor. I had an idea for a story in which Remus had amnesia, and he called himself "Ben" as it seems like a "Remus" name. "Connor" is in fact a name (originated from Celtic/Irish) and it means "wolf-lover" (information from a baby names website) 

**Chapter 5**

Harry smiled as he watched his baby son play with a plastic ring of keys. As the baby giggled and gurgled, Harry held a piece of parchment tightly against his chest and thought that he had never felt so content in his life. It had been three months since he had given birth, and screamed and cursed the werewolf for putting him through the hellish pain.

However, the screaming and the cursing had instantly become meaningless when the nurse brought the freshly-cleaned baby to Remus and Harry. The baby's eyes were blue, like all newborn babies'; but they both noticed that there was a reasonable amount of hair on the baby's head and it was definitely brown. Moreover, it was the same shade of brown as Remus's hair.

Harry had looked up at the werewolf and smiled. Remus had wrapped his arm around Harry, holding him close, and then he kissed his hair. It didn't take them long to decide on the baby's name: Ben Connor. Harry had chosen his son's first name and Remus had chosen Connor, jokingly stating that it was Irish for "wolf-lover."

However, there was still doubt in the air and both Harry and Remus decided a paternity test should be taken. The results had taken a week to arrive and both Harry and Remus had anxiously awaited the letter. Harry had no idea why he thought this, but over the last few months of his pregnancy he had developed a nagging feeling that the father could have been Draco. He hated the idea of what Draco would do if he had found out that Harry had given birth to his son.

The results were now pressed against Harry's chest and, although it was wrong, he could not have been happier with the results. He had received them that morning, and since then he had had to look at the parchment again and again just to make sure that it was not a dream. He pulled it away from his chest and looked at the writing before him for what seemed to be the millionth time. Once again, he saw the name "Remus Lupin" printed on the parchment; the writing was clear as crystal. For the millionth time that day, he relived the feeling of a burden lifting from his shoulders; for the first time since Draco had thrown him out of their house, Harry felt that he could finally move on from his ex-husband and maybe work up the confidence to tell Remus of his growing feelings for the werewolf.

Although Harry had tried to avoid the issue, he did miss the werewolf's company at night. However, he felt that given the baby's irregular sleeping patterns, sharing Harry's bed might disrupt Remus's sleep as well, and that might affect his work. Harry had decided he could not go back to work immediately after paternity leave; he could not bear to leave his baby with someone else while he was working. Therefore, he was sleeping in his old room along with Ben, who slept in a cot. He secretly longed for the day when Ben was able to sleep through a whole night by himself; only then could he trust himself to leave Ben on his own at night and curl up with the werewolf once again.

Harry looked at the clock and saw that it was nearly six o' clock. "Your daddy will be home soon."

Ben replied with a gurgle and a grin that was wide and toothless.

Harry smiled wider. "Yes, he will. Yes, he will." He placed the parchment on the floor and moved over to Ben. He picked up his baby and stood up, holding him against his chest. He rubbed two fingers through Ben's brown tuft of hair and said, "He is going to be very happy to see you, and he is going to be so happy with these results because he loves you very much. Yes, he does."

_And I am in love with your daddy. _

A knock on the door interrupted the private and happy moment. "Oh, that's probably your Auntie Hermione and Uncle Ron coming to see you." He strapped Ben into his baby seat in the middle of the living room floor, then went to the door. All the happiness instantly drained out of him when he saw Draco.

With a smile on his face, Draco said, "I just knew you would be here."

"What do you want?"

"I just came here for a talk."

"Give me one good reason why I should let you into my house."

"Because I have to talk to you and I would rather do it in private."

Harry stepped aside. "Very well, but don't expect a cup of tea."

Draco made his way into the living room, where Ben was still in his baby seat, waving and shaking his ring of plastic keys. The blonde man sat down on the couch. Harry stayed standing.

After a few moments of silence Draco said, "How are you?"

"Do you really care?"

"Of course I do. I miss you," Draco insisted.

"And yet it's taken you all this time to come and tell me that?"

"Well, considering that I didn't know where you lived…"

Harry laughed sarcastically. "As if you cared! If my memory serves me correctly, you threw me out on the streets." He then shouted, "I don't think you gave a shit where I ended up as long as I was far away from you and your lover!"

Ben started to cry from the shouting. Harry turned to his son and picked him up from his seat. He held onto the baby and whispered, "It's alright, Ben. Daddy isn't angry at you."

"Daddy?" Draco asked. "That baby is yours?"

"Brilliant deduction, Draco."

Draco stood up. "Does that mean that you were pregnant on that day?"

Looking at his son, Harry said "I found out that day. I was going to tell you but you'd already made arrangements, hadn't you?"

Draco reached out his hand to touch the baby's head. "Does that mean that…the baby is mine?"

Ignoring the question, Harry placed his now-quiet son back in his seat. He had a feeling that things were not going to go well, and he didn't want to be holding his son when Draco finally figured out the truth. The moment came more quickly than Harry had anticipated. Draco knelt down to pick up the child and he said, "My beautiful son…"

Defensively, Harry cried, "Don't you touch him!"

Draco looked up at his ex-husband. "I have a right to. He's mine!"

"Look! What did you come here for?"

Draco stood up. "I just thought we could get back together…"

"You what! After what you did to me?"

Draco's voice became almost pleading. "I made a mistake, Harry. I'm really sorry. We can make it work; we're still married…"

Harry held up the finger that had once borne his wedding ring. "Last time I checked, _somebody_ threw off my ring and threw it into a fire."

Draco took hold of Harry's raised hand. "I'll buy you another one. I'll buy you the exact same one…we can even renew our vows. I mean, we have a child! We should try again for him!"

"He's not your child!"

Draco blinked in shock. "What?"

"Look at him! He looks nothing like you, thankfully!"

"But that baby must be about three or four months old. It has to be mine…unless…." He turned to Harry with an all-too familiar evil glint in his eyes. Pointed an accusing finger at Harry, he said, "You cheated on me, didn't you?" He took a few steps towards his husband. "Didn't you!"

Before Harry could answer, Draco slapped him on the cheek. Then there was another blow to his face and he toppled to the floor next to his son who had started to cry again. Before he could reach for Ben, he felt a kick to his stomach and landed on his back. Many punches and kicks followed. Harry tried to fight back but Draco was too fierce and too strong. Draco's hands wrapped around Harry's neck and the black-haired young man could feel the air being squeezed out of him. Harry could feel his head being hit on the floor repeatedly; the baby's desperate screams began to fade out and the world became black…

Remus had only one thing on his mind while he was making his way home from work. He had tried not to think about it all day but the question had been burning in his mind for a while.

_Am I really a father?_

He cast his mind back to the night that Ben was born and wondered why Harry had only cursed him, Remus, when both of them knew that there was an equal chance that Draco could be the father.

_Maybe, deep down, Harry wants ME to be the father. _

He wanted Ben to be his son but he knew that there was a big chance that the father could be Draco. Over the past year, Remus had become comfortable with Harry living with him. He sometimes questioned _why_ he felt so comfortable. Ever since Sirius' death eight years earlier, he had made a vow to remain alone. He had invited Harry to his home merely out of friendship, and had never thought that he would enjoy being in the young man's company so quickly.

He realised this only when Ben was born and Harry moved back to his old room, along with Ben, who slept in a cot. As Harry was on paternity leave and Remus was still working, the young man had told Remus that it would be unfair for him, too, to be woken up several times a night. Although the werewolf accepted this, he did so reluctantly.

The first night that Harry moved rooms was a sleepless one for Remus. He wanted nothing more than to be in the same bed as the young man, but Harry had been insistent and said that it was the right thing to do. He missed holding Harry as he slept, comforting him; for the first time since Harry had moved in, Remus began to fear that the young man would become less dependent on him and ultimately leave.

This fear had intensified in the week since he had taken the paternity test. Remus loved Ben and he hated to think of what could happen if it turned out that Draco was the father. Although Harry said that he no longer wanted to be with his husband, Remus was worried that this could change if it turned out that Draco was the father. The werewolf dreaded the thought of losing both Ben and Harry.

_Admit it. You are in love with Harry._

_No! I just care about him and don't want to see him hurt any more. _

_Yeah, right! You're in love with him and you don't want to admit it! You don't want to lose him, do you?_

Remus was so deep in thought that he walked straight past his house. As he walked sheepishly back up to the front door, he heard Ben's agonising screams. He ran up the path and flung the door open frantically. He ran towards the screams and saw Draco choking the life out of Harry.

Draco screamed, "I'll teach you to fucking cheat on me!"

Remus quickly pulled out his wand and aimed it at the blonde. "_Expelliarmus!_"

Draco flew across the room. Harry felt air enter his body; his head was pounding like a drum. As his vision returned, he saw Remus in the doorway with his wand at the ready. Remus was staring at Draco with a look that Harry had only seen once in the werewolf's face before, ten years ago in the Shrieking Shack. Although he was sore all over and almost overcome by dizziness, Harry picked up his distressed son from the baby seat. As his son cried and clenched onto his jumper, Harry held him as only an equally distressed parent would.

Remus looked at Harry with concern. "Are you all right?"

Harry nodded, stood up and walked over to Remus, who stared at Harry's ex-husband and said, "What the fuck are you doing here? Come to stir up the shit?"

Draco stood up. "Not that it's any of your business, but I came around to patch things up with Harry. I just didn't realise that I would come here to find out my oh-so honest husband cheated on me and brought a bastard child into the world!"

Harry snapped, "Don't you dare call our baby that again!"

Draco and Remus simultaneously said, "Our!"

Draco looked on the floor and saw the discarded parchment. He picked it up and his jaw immediately dropped in shock. He looked up at Remus and Harry and his shocked expression changed to a mixture of disgust and anger. "Oh, so this is the one you've been spreading your legs for? Tell me, Lupin! Was he a good little whore?"

Through his teeth, Remus said "Shut your filthy mouth!"

Draco scoffed, "I wouldn't be surprised if you two had been doing it behind my back since the wedding."

"SHUT UP!" Harry shouted, and the angry outburst antagonised his son even more. Harry turned to Remus and said "Hold our baby, please, and go into the kitchen." Pocketing his wand, Remus took the crying child in his arms and began to soothe him whilst exiting the room.

Harry moved towards Draco until they were almost eye-to-eye. "Now, you listen here. Before that night, I had never done it behind your back and that was because I loved you. The only reason I went to him was because of our arguments. But I've never slept with him since then; it never even crossed my mind. I only cheated on you once and it was all your fault!"

"MY fault? How could it have been my fault that you went behind my back?"

"Because that morning I had taken a potion to help me become pregnant, and that night I came home ready to get intimate with you and what did I get? Accusations and a beating for my trouble, while all the fucking time, you'd been going behind MY back! If you hadn't been such a bastard that night, I would never have gone to Remus for comfort. And I'll tell you something, Draco: he satisfied me more in one night than you ever did in our entire marriage!"

Folding his arms, Harry continued, "And while we're on the subject, Draco, where is your lover? Where's the reason that you tore my wedding ring off and threw it on the fire? You don't really want me, do you? You're just incredibly lonely and you came to me as a last resort."

Draco insisted, "No. I came here because I know that I made a huge mistake and I want to try again."

"Well, I don't want you back. Our marriage was over the moment you ripped the ring off my finger and threw me out. Now get out!"

Draco stood still and simply stared at Harry with anger brewing in his eyes. Eventually, the blonde said, "Right. If that's what you want, my lawyers will be in touch with the divorce papers and," he pointed a finger at Harry, "let me tell you, you will not be getting a penny from me over this."

"Is that all you can think about? Money? I don't want your fucking money! Now piss off!"

Draco mocked, "What? No final kiss? Are you sure you don't want one more sex session on the floor? Does the werewolf really satisfy you enough?" When Harry did not answer, Draco said, "Or maybe he tried you once and didn't like it?" Moving towards his ex-husband, he continued, "Yeah. He only wants you here because you gave birth to his freak bastard child and he feels sorry for you."

Unable to contain his anger anymore, Harry slapped Draco on the cheek. Before the blonde could react, Harry had taken hold of his hair; he dragged him down the hallway, opened the front door and threw him out in the street. Draco looked up at Harry in shock.

For the first time since Draco had knocked on the door, Harry felt confident. "Now you know what it feels like." And with that, he shut the door in Draco's face.

Emotionally and physically exhausted, he walked along the hallway and up the stairs.

"Harry?" called Remus softly.

Harry turned around and said, quietly, "Could you look after Ben, please? I need to be on my own for a while." Remus nodded as if he understood and went back to the kitchen. Harry continued walking up the stairs and went into his own room; it was only when he was lying on his own bed that he began to cry.

To be concluded...


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter was probably the hardest part of the entire story. I knew how I wanted it to end, but I found it hard to tie all the loose ends involving Harry and Remus. I also wanted the story to end in a certain way and it was very hard to write. Well, seeing that this is on the net, it looks like I tackled the problem. Also, in case you didn't know, a "dummy" is the English/British word for "pacifier". You lot probably knew that but I'd thought I'd tell so I don't get asked about it. Enjoy and I hope you enjoyed the whole story and my other stories (if you got round to read them). **Chapter 6**

Hours went by and Harry still stayed in his room. Remus wanted to go upstairs to see him, but Ben's needs had to come first. He knew that babies could sense bad atmospheres, so Remus tried extra hard to conceal his worry and focus on keeping his son content. He tried, and failed, to calm him down through cuddling; only Ben's favourite bear could bring a smile to his little face.

As Ben sat on Remus's lap, playing with his bear, the werewolf could not help but think about what had happened earlier in the living room. He could not believe it: he was a father and he was holding his son in his arms! Ben looked up at his father with sparkling green eyes, and a broad grin appeared on the baby's face. Remus smiled back, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

"I love you, Benjie."

_He's not the only one you love. Why don't you admit that you love Harry?_

_I don't love Harry!_

_Oh, come on! Admit it! You've missed him since he moved to his old room. You missed holding him and cuddling him at night. Admit that you're glad he doesn't want to see Draco again._

_I just don't want to see him hurt anymore. _

_That's not the only reason and you know it!_

_Anyway, even if I do love him, it doesn't mean that he loves me._

_You heard what happened while you were in the kitchen! He practically told Draco that he loved you!_

_No! He just said that I had satisfied him in our one time together. It doesn't mean that he loves me._

_Why else would he want to be in the same bed? And that kiss…remember…HE kissed YOU! It's a sign._

_It was just his hormones playing up, that's all. _

The sound of Ben crying woke Remus up from his thoughts, and the aroma that hit the werewolf's nostrils was unmistakable. Remus changed the baby's nappy and dressed him for bedtime. At exactly eight o' clock, the baby was finding it difficult to keep his eyes open. As Ben began to fall asleep in Remus' arms, the werewolf stood up and was about to leave the room when Harry appeared in the doorway.

Harry said, "Are you putting him to bed?"

"Yeah. He's finding it hard to keep awake here."

"I'll take him up." Harry gently lifted the baby from Remus' arms and the werewolf noticed that the young man's cheeks were soaked with tears. Harry stroked his son's cheek with one finger and kissed him on the forehead.

Harry went upstairs to his room. He picked up the baby's dummy from his bedside table and gently put it in Ben's mouth, then kissed the baby's cheek before carefully placing him in his cot. He put the teddy bear in the corner of the cot and watched his son sleep. It was then that he felt Remus' presence behind him. The werewolf leaned over the cot and whispered "Night, night, Ben."

When Ben was sound asleep, Remus took hold of Harry's hand and led him out of the bedroom. Remus took Harry to his bedroom and the young man showed no resistance. They both sat down at the edge of the werewolf's bed and it was then that Harry held onto Remus tightly.

"Are you okay now?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded. He broke away from the hug and raised a hand to his neck, caressing the tender skin. A tear flowed down his cheek. "My throat and head are sore but I'll be alright. I just never expected him to turn up like that, that's all. It's ruined a good day. I mean I get the results today and…" He stopped speaking and looked down onto the duvet. "How do you feel about it?"

Remus smiled, "To be honest, I'm very happy that Ben is my son. But the big question is, how do _you_ feel about it?"

Harry looked up at the werewolf. "I'm utterly relieved. I mean, I know I don't want Draco, but if he was the father and he found out, it would have meant that he would still be part of my life and also the thought of him taking my baby… Oh Remus, I'm sorry." He buried his head in Remus's chest.

"What have you got to be sorry for?"

"For letting him in. I had an idea something was going to happen and yet I still let him in." His voice became more agitated. "I'm so bloody stupid. I could have easily collided into Ben when Draco hit me. Draco could have even hurt Ben! If anything happen to our baby, I would never forgive myself."

Remus wrapped his arms around Harry. "Oh, Harry. Don't."

"I should have had my wand nearby. I should have been able to fight back. I'm so weak."

Remus' heart stung when he heard his words. "Harry, you are not weak. Believe me when I say I know exactly you're going through."

Harry looked up. "What?"

Remus sighed, "You know that Sirius and I had been lovers since we were teenagers. But everything went wrong when he came back to England after being in exile with Buckbeak. He started drinking heavily and he changed completely. I personally think that being trapped in that house all day along with the many years of guilt inside him eventually got to him. I tried to get him to stop but we ended up having arguments and by the end, every night we were together, we had an argument and most of the time, I would get hit and kicked for my troubles. Like you, I should have given up and left him but also like you, I was in love. Every time he hit me, he would be in tears afterwards and he would beg for forgiveness."

When he saw that Harry was shocked, he continued, "Please don't think badly of Sirius. I don't, and that's because I know that, deep down, he had a good heart and a good soul. It's just he was carrying a burden that no-one could help him with, not even you or me, and in the end, it took a toll on him. Even now, I still mourn for him."

There was a silence as Harry remembered what happened one night four months earlier. In his mind, he could see Remus crying whilst looking at a silver-framed picture and then putting the photo in its place amongst the other pictures.

Harry asked, "Have you thought about him lately?"

"Not for a few months. The last time was…"

"When I came down that night and we… you know."

"How did you know that?"

"I saw you, remember? You were crying over a picture."

"That was taken at James and Lily's wedding. He seemed to be dedicated in catching us out whenever we had an intimate moment. I swear, if Lily hadn't come along…." He chuckled at the memory, then sighed and said softly, "No matter how bad things got by the end, I stayed with him because I believed that he would be pardoned soon and things would go back to normal. Like I said, I loved him too much. Draco, on the other hand… well no offence to your judgement, but I never trusted him."

Harry spoke gently, "I'll admit I didn't like Draco at first but when we were in the sixth year at Hogwarts, I started to see a new side of him. He was a lot less cocky and seemed to show fear, something I'd never seen in him before. I still didn't like him much but I could not help feeling sorry for him because he spared Dumbledore. Then, during the final battle, I saw him without all the big-headedness and I was slowly falling in love with him. And well, things took off from there."

"And what about now?"

"The feelings I had for him are gone. Well, soon I'll be divorced and it'll all be over. I just want to forget him and focus on looking after our baby. Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything. I mean, after what happened that morning, I wouldn't have been surprised if you hadn't come to help me. After all that I said that morning... well, I didn't deserve your help."

"Harry, we have been friends for years. I have always tried to help you as best I can. Even if Ben's father was Draco, I would still stand by you and help you in any way I could. I love that little boy and…" Remus immediately stopped in mid-sentence.

"And… what?"

_For god's sake, Remus! Just tell him!_

_I can't!_

"Nothing."

Harry removed his glasses and placed them on the bedside table. He stared at the werewolf and caressed Remus's cheeks. Then he whispered, "Does it have something to do with this?"

The young man leaned towards the werewolf and their lips gently touched. Harry softly kissed Remus's lips again and again. Remus closed his eyes and kissed Harry's lips just as slowly and sweetly. He found himself lost in the moment and he did not want to stop kissing the young man now in his arms.

Harry broke the kiss and they looked into each other's eyes. The intensity they both saw there was all that was needed. Remus pulled Harry's jumper over his head and caressed the bare skin. Harry had regained his pre-pregnancy figure, though Remus could that Harry's belly was softer than it had been before. He played with the young man's nipples, pinching and twisting them until Harry was gasping uncontrollably.

"Oh, god! That's nice, Remus."

Remus smiled, pinned the young man to the bed and began to assault him with kisses and licks. He kissed Harry's neck and moved his way down to the hot, bare chest. He moved his tongue up and down the well-toned body, teasing Harry's navel.

Remus whispered, "You're so beautiful, Harry."

Harry moaned with delight and reached down to unzip his trousers but the werewolf whispered a charm which instantly pinned Harry's wrists to the duvet.

Remus looked up and said teasingly, "No, no, no."

He slowly unzipped the young man's trousers and gently pulled out his red-hot erection. Licking his lips, he darted his tongue around Harry's cock head. Harry moaned in sheer delight and Remus flicked his tongue around the young man's erection. As Harry writhed in need, Remus licked up and down the long hard cock whilst cupping his balls.

Harry gasped, "You're wearing too many clothes."

Remus smiled cheekily, an expression that Harry had never before seen on his face. The older man said softly, "I suppose I should take them off."

He stood up and pulled Harry's trousers and boxer shorts down his legs, removing them completely; next, his own shirt was removed and thrown to the floor. He pulled off his socks and shoes and unzipped his trousers, pulling them, and his boxers, down his legs. When all his clothes were on the floor, he took a jar of lubricant from his chest of drawers.

He knelt on the bed in between Harry's legs, slowly and teasingly pouring lubricant onto his hard cock. He knew he could have used the spell, but he wanted to tantalise Harry and let the moment last. He gently lifted Harry and inserted two of his lubricated fingers into the young man's bottom; scissoring his fingers, he deliberately brushed against Harry's prostate. The young man arched his back and moaned at the touch. Remus began to move his fingers in and out of Harry, always brushing against his prostate.

Harry begged, "Please. I want your cock in me. Fuck me please."

Remus whispered, "No, I will not fuck you." He removed his fingers from Harry's bottom and then lifted Harry's legs over his own shoulders. "I will make love to you."

The werewolf slowly entered Harry, taking delight in the young man's tightness until he was buried to his balls. He remained still until Harry had become accustomed to the invasion; then he whispered a charm and Harry's arms were free. The young man wrapped his arms around the back of the werewolf's neck and pulled him close for a kiss. They kissed passionately, tongues playing with tongues.

When the kiss ended, Harry pleaded, "Please. I need you to move."

Remus knelt up, his cock still buried inside Harry, and held onto the young man's waist. He moved inside Harry slowly and gently, enjoying the sensations gripping his rock hard erection. He touched the young man's prostate and Harry's eyes widened at the slow and deliberate probing.

"Oh…. oh GOD! More, please, MORE!"

Remus continued to tease the young man by slowly thrusting inside him. Harry tried to thrust his bottom towards Remus for more friction but Remus gripped onto his hips harder and kept his slow pace. He held his head back and moaned as the muscles in Harry's anus tightened around his aching cock.

When he could take no more, Remus began to move faster and harder inside Harry, still touching his prostate.

"Oh yes! Remus! Yes, THAT'S IT!"

The werewolf leaned forward again as he impaled Harry, trapping the younger man's cock between the two of them. Harry reached over to grab his trapped erection, but Remus caught his wrists and pinned them to the bed; he drove faster and harder into Harry until he could feel his own need to come. Harry writhed, thrusting towards the werewolf so he could increase the intense pleasure. Remus could feel pre-cum leaking from Harry's cock onto his own chest and it excited the werewolf still more. He moved harder, stimulating Harry's cock with his chest, and after a few hard thrusts Harry came with a scream, his sperm leaking onto Remus' body. As Harry relaxed on the bed, enjoying his orgasm, Remus was pushed over the edge and he came inside the young man with a howl.

He collapsed onto Harry and they lay in silence for what seemed like an eternity, feeling the warmth the sex had brought onto them. Eventually Remus moved, and as he kissed Harry's cheek and neck, he had never felt so complete or so happy.

Harry had no idea how long he had been lying on Remus' chest but he did not care. He had been waiting for this moment for too long, and it had been worth the wait. Remus' fingers wrapped around his messy black hair before gliding down his face and the side of his body. He realised that this was what he wanted and that he was ready to declare it.

Remus looked down at the young man and whispered, "I love you."

Harry raised his head and smiled. "I love you too."

He lifted himself off the bed and stood over the werewolf, then leaned forward and kissed him on the mouth. Remus held onto Harry's waist and kissed him back passionately and urgently. The intimate moment was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Ben's crying from the next room.

Harry got up instantly, pulled on his boxer shorts and walked through to the baby's room. He looked into the cot and saw that the dummy had fallen out of Ben's mouth. Smiling to himself, Harry picked it up and put it back in Ben's mouth. The baby was instantly calm. He saw Harry and lifted his arms as if to reach for him; Harry gently picked him up and sat down on the edge of the bed. Cuddling Ben, he gently rocked him back to sleep.

"What a beautiful sight."

Harry turned his head and saw Remus standing in the doorway. The werewolf moved towards the bed and sat down beside Harry. Through half-open eyes, Ben saw his father and smiled. He sleepily lifted out his arm to Remus.

Harry smiled at Remus. "I think Ben is glad you're his father as well.

"I still can't believe that Draco could be so cruel about our son. Yes, it hurt when he called me a whore and when he tried to strangle me, but what really hurt, what hurt the most was when he called our beautiful baby a freak. I feel sorry for any children he brings into the world."

Remus wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "It's all right now. I promise I will never let him hurt you again."

Harry had heard these words before, but he knew he could believe the werewolf, for Remus had always been there and always would be. When Ben was fast asleep again, Harry put him back into his cot and stood there watching his sleeping son. He felt Remus's arms wrap around his bare chest.

Remus kissed Harry's cheek. "Come to bed, Harry."

Harry hesitated then shook his head. "I can't. What if Ben needs me?"

Remus stroked Harry's hair. "Then you can still go to him, but he needs to be on his own." He kissed the back of Harry's head. "Come to bed."

Remus took hold of Harry's hand and the young man did not hesitate when Remus led him back to the bedroom.

The End


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